Don't Ever Look Back
by discussionsonpaper
Summary: Roughly inspired by 'Check Yet Juliet'. Cas tries to run away, only to have company to the train station. Someone who understands the want to leave. High school AU (I actually have no idea how to summarise this story)


_**A/N:** For some reason this idea came to me when I was about to sleep listening to 'Check Yes Juliet' by We the Kings. I don't know why, but there you have it. I'm still not too sure what I think of this story, I think the ending might be a little rushed... but let me know what you think. Because that's all that really matters, right?_

_**Disclaimer:** I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters._

* * *

Today was the day. He was finally going to leave home. Castiel had thought these words before, once even going as far as packing a bag, only for him to over think things and unpack a couple of minutes later.

But today was definitely the day. To leave the endless shouting fights between his brothers, to leave the house that was once filled with joy and love, to leave the broken family. They had once been close, the place had once been a proper home, and they had been a proper family. But that was all before their dad left. No one talked about him anymore.

So, steeled in his decision, he packed a duffle bag once more. Only this time he was able to pick up the bag and, with one last glance of his room, now empty of his prized possessions, he left, closing his door one last time on his way out.

He was in a daze as he walked out, ignoring everything around him, trying not to think about what he was doing. Because if he looked at his brother, Gabriel, who stared at him strangely as he walked by, or his sister, Anna, doing her homework on the small coffee table in the living room, or if he thought too hard about the fact that he had no idea where he was going, or that he had no actual plan further than 'leave the house', he would go back. And he just couldn't take it anymore.

Without a clear plan in mind, he just kept walking.

* * *

Dean had barely walked into the door before he the smell the stale beer wafted into his nose. It was a sure sign that his father had begun drinking early. He was thankful that Sammy was staying a friend's house that weekend to work on a science project, or something equally as nerdy as that. Quickly, before his father saw him and started rambling drunkenly at him about how his mother died because of some demon, he closed the door and went back to his beloved Impala. Dean drove away from the house, without a destination in mind.

It was times like these that Dean wished that his mother was still with them. She had been the light in the Winchester's lives and always had a smile that would make just about anything better. When she had passed away in the house fire, John Winchester took it hard. Soon it seemed like he had forgotten he had two sons under the age of 10 and instead took up drinking.

Dean had to learn quickly how to look after Sam and a young age, giving up his childhood so that Sam wouldn't have to. When Bobby and Ellen had found out, they had been livid, but after much begging from Dean, they didn't tell anyone about John, instead helping out the two boys whenever they could. Ellen would give them meals from the diner, or Bobby would help out with the bills. Dean didn't like accepting charity, so as soon as he was old enough to legally get a job at Bobby's garage, he took it.

After school and dropping Sam off to the library, or a friends place, he would immediately drive to Bobby's to work. By the time he got home he was tired, all he wanted to do when he got home was rest. He didn't want to be stuck listening to the drunken conspiracies about how his mum had been killed by some sort of demon.

Leaving the house to his father happened more than he cared to admit. But he would never leave Sam alone in the presence of their father for more than necessary. So when Sam wasn't at the house, he would get into his baby and just drive without a proper destination. Sure going for a pointless drive wasted gas which, in turn, wasted is money, but he just had no patience to deal with his father tonight.

He noted the clouds gathering in angry groups of grey, figuring that it was about to start raining. So he was confused when he saw a familiar figure walking in a determined fashion. Normally he wouldn't have bothered the guy, but there was something in the way he was walking, or in the expression on his face (that he had managed to get a glimpse of as he turned around), or the way he held himself that made him stop.

Small drops of water had started to fall as Dean pulled the car up next to the moving figure. Castiel Novak had been in his Chemistry and English classes all year, they didn't go out of their way to converse, but ever since being paired for a Chemistry project a couple of months back, they were able to exchange pleasantries whenever they passed without being awkward.

"Hey!" Dean shouted to his dazed classmate as he opened the window in the passenger side, "Cas! It looks like it's about to pour. Get in. I'll give you a ride."

"Dean?" Castiel questioned incredulously as he bent to stare through the open window.

"Yeah," Dean started to feel awkward as Castiel's gaze pierced him into place, "Uh... so... you want a ride or what?"

"Oh," Castiel seemed surprised that Dean was still there, "Yes, that would be... nice. Thank you." He opened the door slowly, as if he was giving time for Dean to change his mind.

Dean started driving as soon as Castiel was situated in his car, ignoring his warnings of not wearing seatbelts. After a couple of minutes of driving in silence, when the rain had started to pick up, Dean spoke up, "So, where am I taking you?"

Castiel's eyes bounced around, searching for a clue with the passing street names that he could barely see through the rain, "Uhh..." he stalled, he still had no idea where he was going. "If you could just drop me off at the train station? That would be great." He finally got out, deciding he would just take the next train somewhere.

Dean nodded, "So, you going to see family or something?"

"No."

Dean could tell with that one word that he should at left it alone, but for some reason he just couldn't, "Early holiday?" He tried again.

"Something like that."

For some reason, as soon as Castiel said that, something clicked. His eyes pulled away from the road of a moment, turning to the boy hunched in his trench coat, "You're running away aren't you?" He blurted out before he could stop himself.

Castiel froze; his eyes went wide with surprise before quickly narrowing as they gleamed with determination and defiance, "What concern is it of yours?" He responded defensively.

"Woah, dude," Dean lifted a hand from the wheel in surrender. "I'm not going to do anything! I understand, seriously. I would leave if I could too." Dean started cursing himself as soon as he said that. He hadn't meant to reveal that to a person he had only spoken to in passing.

There was a sudden silence in the confined space, only broken by the hammering of the rain, which had picked up a lot since the start of his drive. "Why haven't you?" Dean glanced at the person in the passenger seat with an expression on his face that clearly asked what he was talking about, "Why haven't you left?" He clarified, "You sound as if you really want to." It was at that moment that he realised how personal that question was and tried to take it back, "I – you – I mean, you don't have to tell me. I under –"

Castiel was cut off, "My brother. I can't just leave Sam. I'm pretty much all he has left."

"What about your dad?"

Dean scoffed, "Yeah right." He shuffled in his seat before deciding to continue. For some reason, Castiel just seemed like someone he could trust. "When my mum died, my dad took up drinking, forgetting about me and Sammy. I practically raised him, made sure he ate, went to school, and whatever else needed to be done." He confessed. Dean tried to ignore the tears that started to gather. He was always sad that Sam would see the dad John had been before he started drinking.

"My dad left a couple of years back," Castiel confessed, "when he did, Michael tried to become him. You know - taking on the responsibilities of our father, bossing us around. None of us really liked it, but he was the oldest and had to try and look after six younger siblings who continuously asked when their father was coming back." Castiel's eyes adopted a faraway look, locked in his memory, "Luc eventually started to rebel because he thought that Michael wasn't doing a good job... or something, I was never clear on the details. Eventually Raphael joined the fight. Soon enough, they were fighting more and looking after Anna, Gabriel, Balthazar and I less. I love them, but if I stayed there..." Castiel trailed off, but Dean understood what he was trying to say.

"So," Dean started, drawing out the word as he stared at the road determinedly, "you want to stay, but feel the need to leave, while I want to leave, but I have to stay. We're both in trouble aren't we?" He tried to laugh it off but they both knew it wasn't real.

"I never thought of it like that." Castiel replied softly, staring out the window.

They rode in silence until Dean pulled up at the train station, "Give me your phone." Dean demanded his lips twitched as he watched Castiel's ridiculously blue eyes widened.

"What? Why?"

"Because – just –" Dean tripped over his words trying to get what he wanted to say to sound right, "if you ever need any help with... _anything_... or you, you know, just want to talk to someone," Dean replied bashfully. Castiel handed over his phone without another word.

"So yeah," Dean coughed after handing over the phone and sitting in silence. "Listen. Just keep in touch, okay?" Castiel nodded in agreement, a small smile working its way on his face, "And, you know, maybe, if you want that is, you might, I don't know, be able to visit me in this cow town.

Castiel's smile just grew larger at every word Dean tripped up over, "Maybe I'll be brave enough to do that one day." After another promise of keeping in touch and letting Dean know when he got to wherever he's going and once more quickly thanking him for the ride, Castiel stepped out of the car, a new sense of determination washed over him as he clutched his duffle bag tightly.

"Hey, Cas!" Dean shouted before he could shut the door, "Good luck. I'm sure you will be great... wherever you are."

They shared a smile. "Maybe one day _you _could visit me too." He hurriedly shut the door before Dean could answer. He turned and walked away, only to trip slightly over a misplaced rock. Blushing, and thanking God that Dean couldn't see the redness of his face, he walked just a little faster.

Dean chuckled when he saw his classmate trip. "We'll see each other again," Dean tried to reassure himself. A small smile lifted his lips, glad that someone was able to leave this toxic town.

For the first time in a long time, the two unlikely friends, were able to look forward to whatever may come in the future.

* * *

_**A/N: **So yeah... let me know what you think in the reviews... or just favourite it if you liked it. But I love hearing from all of you :D _


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